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Romavia
Romavia is a beauteous land in central Dalkhrova scarred by betrayal and ruthlessness. The realm lies along the southeastern edge of the Walgäuer Alps, in the rolling dales that stretch out beyond its icy crags. Romavia is a green, fertile land blanketed with wildflowers throughout the spring and summer. Ancient, verdant forests cover much of the land, overgrown with tangled brambles and twining ivy. The trees and shrubs are heavy with nuts and fruits, and the ground is blanketed by spongy little toadstools. Most of these morsels, however, ooze with sweet-smelling toxins, a notorious feature of Romavian foodstuffs fortunately betrayed by a telltale purplish tinge. Romavia is also known for its geothermal activity; hot springs bubble up from the ground everywhere, spewing steam and sulfurous fumes into the air. The Semmlau, Keng, and Moser Rivers flow gently east across the land, draining the crystalline snowmelt of the Walgäuer Alps into the Luhra River, which marks Romavia's eastern boundary. Homes and shops in Romavia are broad, massive buildings of plastered and whitewashed brick. The gabled rooftops are shingled in thin, charcoal-gray wood and topped with slim, knobby spires. Wooden trim of dark green or blue, carved with stylized vines and mushrooms, graces the doors and windows. Small, white marble statues stand serenely at the entrances of many homes. The smooth stone streets of villages are narrow, shaded by the overhanging upper floors of buildings. Romavia has a temperate climate, leaning toward severe winters and cool, pleasant summers. Romavian People Romavians have average, athletic statures. Although blessed with delicate hands, Romavians seem to age quickly, given their harsh environment, with skin tones ranging from fair to creamy tan. Hair and eye color ranges widely, but dark brown is common for both. Men of all classes keep their wavy hair at a medium length, allowing it to grow wild and roguish. Women grow their hair quite long, adorning it with thin ribbons and wooden or tortoiseshell combs. Clothing is utilitarian among commoners, with men dressing in loose shirts and trousers and women in blouses and medium-length skirts. Dull earth tones are the norm in such humble garb. Nobles, on the other hand, dress in baroque fashions, though they shy from bright colors, preferring a black and white scheme accented with silver jewelry. Commoners and nobles alike don more colorful clothing exclusively for festivals. As a people, Romavians have a sullen air about them, an attitude that has permeated all aspects of daily life. This is largely due to the crushing taxation most folk endure, combined with the cruel, arbitrary rule of Romavia's mistress. The oppression has worn down what was once a lusty, life-loving attitude among Romavians, leaving a defeated people who go about their business with a resigned fatalism. A weary, pained look clings to their features; they shuffle through their tasks as if afflicted by a numbing poison. The Law in Romavia Ivanka Navach, commonly known as the Black Widow, is the current mistress of Romavia. Having inherited the rule from her mother, Esmelda, who met an unexpected death, Navach's only political interest seems to be indulging herself at her subjects' expense. Her sobriquet is derived from for her infamous fatal romances, as Navach's lovers have a habit of ending their lives in her bedchamber. Although the realm is ostensibly governed under a feudal system, Navach is the only true landowner, with all citizens in direct vassalage to her. Romavia's prominent aristocracy is a mere plaything for Navach; nobles enjoy their status only as long as it pleases the Black Widow. Navach grants and revokes noble titles erratically, creating perpetual flux in the makeup of the Romavian nobility. Navach demands severe taxes from her nobles of the moment, who in turn demand tribute from the commoners. Prominent nobles retain enforcers to collect these taxes, but it is the notoriously corrupt forces of Navach's cousin, Madrag Frohm, that maintain order in Romavia. Frohm is the only noble who seems to resist Navach's cruel whims, and the only Romavian who truly holds his own estate. Curiously, however, there is rumored to be little love lost between the cousins. Little more than glorified thugs and leg breakers, Frohm's enforcers never pass up an opportunity to extort the meager money Romavians have to their names. Protection rackets are an epidemic, with payment required from anyone unfortunate enough to run into a roving band of Frohm enforcers. Bribery is required merely to prevent a business from being vandalized or to keep enough food to live through the winter. There is virtually no criminal or civil law in Romavia, save what can be bought through dirty coin. Resources Despite the corruption that plagues Romavia, the country is politically and culturally active, exporting its rich traditions of visual arts, music, and architecture to other realms. Navach has overseen the establishment of a trading alliance with the neighboring realms of Drethek and Malisc, and a railroad connecting the Romavian capital Silvamal with the city of Offinaul in Nohival. This has kept foreign wealth flowing into Romavia, and thus into Navach's coffers. Frohm siphons some of this income into his police force to protect against the military aggressions of Betela to the east. Category:Locations Category:Locations in Dalkhrova